"Ah...! Don't you know that Grandpa Yajima used to be a member of the council?!" Lucy said in frustration.
"Oh..." Natsu and Gray responded in unison, their expressions innocent.
"Zik... no, Zlar..." Natsu tried to remember.
"That's Jellal."
"Oh, right, Jellal. The betrayal of Jellal and Ultear has disgraced us. We're all working hard to rebuild the new Magic Council. I'm really sorry that this has caused you so much trouble!" Yajima explained with a remorseful face.
"No," Erza said. "I heard from Chen Fan that Grandpa Yajima opposed that vote to the end. You said you retired out of shame, but actually..."
"Politics is not for me," Yajima interrupted, dancing a little cheerily. "Being a chef is more fun!"
He suddenly jumped in front of Natsu and Gray, startling them. "By the way, Natsu, Gray, the Council will be rebuilt and I will no longer be a member. There will be no one left to defend Fairy Tail. You must think carefully before you take any action in the future," his voice turned serious, becoming louder.
"We will!" Natsu and Gray nodded in a panic.
"Good, good." Yajima nodded in satisfaction.
"Then we'll take our leave, Grandpa Yajima," Erza said.
"Yes," Yajima nodded.
The others began to pack up. Chen Fan was about to get up when Yajima called him. "Xiao Chen, come here. There's something I want to tell you." The old man turned and walked toward the back door.
Chen Fan followed him. They stopped in a corner hidden from view. Yajima looked at Chen Fan with a sincere gaze. "Xiao Chen, thank you for helping me open this shop. I'm very happy. I can be free here, but..."
Chen Fan interrupted before Yajima could finish. "No need to say anything more, Grandpa Yajima. The important thing is that you're happy."
"But the Council..."
"Don't worry about the Council. You've seen me grow up for so many years. When have they ever been my match? I'm not looking down on them, but they can't make a big splash right now. Besides, do you think I spent time on the Council for nothing?"
Chen Fan's words made Yajima's face flush. He had been in this world longer than Chen Fan, but he didn't have the power of the young man in front of him. However, the flush quickly faded, replaced by a relieved smile. Hearing the confidence in Chen Fan's voice, he realized his worries were unfounded. Chen Fan was far more capable than he had imagined.
Erza and the others called out to Chen Fan, urging him to hurry. Yajima waved his hand, and Chen Fan immediately ran toward the train.
"Thank you for your hospitality today!" Lucy shouted from inside the car, waving at Yajima.
"Give my regards to Makarov!"
"Yes!"
Yajima watched the train slowly disappear. His small figure looked lonely on the street. A cold wind blew, making the scene feel a little bleak. Yajima looked up at the sky and muttered to himself, "It's a waste of time worrying. The kids are all grown up now. Xiao Ma is so lucky to have such a capable group of kids. By the way, Urutia, where are you now?" He then turned and went back inside the hotel.
At the same time, in the airship of the Dark Guild, the Demon's Heart Guild.
"The Six Demon Generals, huh? I knew it. They've started to act. What are you going to do, President Hades?" Ultear turned to Hades, her voice cold and controlled.
"Don't worry about them. If they start moving, the people out there won't turn a blind eye. We can use this opportunity to find the key that will unlock Zeref's seal," Hades replied, his eyes gleaming with cunning. "With a bit of luck, I hope they can help us get rid of some of the guilds that are in our way."
"Like Fairy Tail," Ultear said, her gaze implying worry. "But that guild has Chen Fan, 'The God Hand,' in charge."
"Hmph... Ultear, you're really afraid of 'The God Hand'," Hades sneered. Ultear's expression instantly changed. Her face froze, then showed a fleeting fear, before returning to a calm state. The transition of emotions was so fast, it was almost imperceptible.
Hades didn't notice the change and continued, "That man is a bit complicated. You have almost no chance of winning against him. I have studied his fighting style for years. Although I don't know what kind of magic he masters, it's nothing more than a kind of rule-based magic... but that's enough. I'll handle him myself." Hades licked his lips, his eyes filled with lust. "I just hope the Six Demon Generals can get rid of that small group. Fairy Tail will be more delicious if it's left alone, right?"
Ultear shivered. She stared deeply at Hades. After years in Demon's Heart, she still couldn't understand what that man was thinking. She bowed slightly and said, "President, you are indeed wise!"
When Chen Fan returned to the guild, he found a group of people gathered, doing who knows what. His curiosity peaked. After successfully pushing through the crowd, he found them looking at a map.
"What is this? Why is it so ugly?" Chen Fan said bluntly.
"This is the organizational chart of the Dark Union. Oh, I drew it," Mira said, smiling sweetly with a calm expression. But Chen Fan knew, that smile was the calm before the storm. He remembered, in the original story, it wasn't Mira who drew this. He looked around and saw the others had disappeared, leaving him alone with Mira.
'What ungrateful friends,' he thought in annoyance.
"Well, although it's not very beautiful, it's neat and clear, and gives a clear impression at a glance," Chen Fan nodded, convincing himself. "Besides, it's very complicated, but she can draw it so meticulously. It's clear that the person who drew this must be a good wife, hmm."
Mira's face turned red and she covered it with her hand, looking very cute. Chen Fan and the remaining people around him stared at her.
Erza, who was standing right next to Chen Fan, couldn't stand the way Chen Fan was teasing another girl. Without hesitation, she stomped on Chen Fan's instep.
"Ouch... it hurts!" Chen Fan jumped onto a nearby bench, rubbing his foot in pain.
"By the way, the number is really very large, but why..." Erza started, as if nothing had happened.